Last Station
by teatart
Summary: Lydia Martin was intellectual. She had scholarships from Ivy League schools and lived a charmed life. But when tragedy strikes, her world crumbles and to pick up the pieces is her mother's friend, Melissa McCall and her old childhood friends. inspired by the wolff brothers song - au
1. you're here 'til the end

_It's funny how your world can change in a matter of seconds. Like one second you can be talking about the homework and laughing at the button that popped open on your substitute teacher's plaid shirt..._

"Lydia." A boy named Danny whispered to her before slipping her the note her best friend had just handed her.

**I think I just went blind..**

**The sub has an EXTREME happy trail**

Lydia covered her mouth to conceal her giggles.

**Stop making me laugh! I'm trying to concentrate. **She wrote back and gave to Danny.

She went back to chewing on her pencil as she mentally tried to figure out the problem until Danny whispered her name again before promptly dropping the folded piece of paper on her desk.

**I'm trying to concentrate too! Mostly on what kind of undiscovered species are hiding in that jungle**

Lydia was about to write back until she felt a distinct presence behind her. She looked back slightly and there he was, Mr. Happy Trail himself.

Reading their note!

Acting quickly and impulsively, she crumbled the note and threw it at Allison who lifted her head to scowl at her friend. But her eyes immediately shifted at the scared look on Lydia's face.

Friends being friends, she stuffed the paper ball in her mouth as the sub tried to weave his way around the desks.

"The principal's office! Both of you!"

The humor in the situation seemed to melt away once he said it and Lydia got up with a no so subtle frown. Allison got up and took the paper ball out of her mouth and placed it in the sub's hand.

* * *

"I am deeply disappointed, Ms. Argent and especially with you Ms. Martin."

Allison nodded while Lydia bit on her nails anxiously.

"We get it, grandpa. Can you just give us detention before Lydia takes her nails off?"

Gerard smiled and gave the two of them signed detention slips. Allison rolled her eyes and walked out the door; Lydia was right behind her until Gerard called her back.

"Lydia. Can I have a moment to speak with you briefly?"

She nodded, still in shock and hoping she didn't get into more trouble because she was friends with his granddaughter.

"I like that your friends with Allison, I even think you're a great influence on her." He began.

"So, what's the problem?"

"You're very intelligent, Lydia. I would hate to see all of your acceptances and scholarship offers go to waste. You would do those schools a lot of good."

She smiled slightly and nodded her head in gratitude, "Thank you. It means a lot."

"I'm just stating the obvious and I will continue to by saying this. I don't think Allison is good for you, if you're planning on going to university. I know, Allison hasn't even received any acceptance letters yet. If you want to prove me right, take a look at your grades and hers. It doesn't add up."

"What are you trying to tell me, Gerard?" Lydia said coldly. A sudden anger rushed over her just as Allison walked back inside the office and grabbed Lydia's arm.

"What were you still doing in there?" She asked curiously. Lydia shrugged, "I'm not sure. Maybe just show me my GPA or something."

"Oh. Was it all A's as usual?"

"What's that supposed to mean?" Lydia looked at her as they kept walking. Allison's teasing smile vanished as her eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

"What do you mean, 'what do you mean'? Lydia, you're really smart and you know you're really smart. Sometimes you know it and want to make everyone else know it too."

"Like showing off?"

Allison nudged Lydia's shoulder with her own, "What's up with you? You never care when I ask about your grades."

"I know, it's just that, it must be weird for you to be with a know-it-all like me." Lydia tried saying in a carefree manner.

"Yeah, but I'm already used to you."

"Okay." Lydia said and tried to push what Allison's grandpa had said.

He was wrong.

He was wrong, she thought, Allison and I weren't different. We were best friends who were so similar, we were practically sisters.

"Hey! You know what I think you need?"

"What?"

"A drink. So, you and I are going to blow off the rest of the day, go shopping and then get ready for Aiden's pre-graduation party tonight." Allison wriggled her eyebrows long enough for Lydia to crack a smile and agree.

* * *

"Do you think this dress makes me look like a slut?"

"No, I think the fact that you're a slut makes you a slut."

Allison made a face and pulled her dress lower but then adjusted the top of it, making the dress move back into the same place on her body that it was before.

"You're hilarious."

"I try." Lydia applied her lipstick and smacked her lips together before smiling at her work.

"Seriously, do you think Isaac will like it?"

"Isaac? You are a slut!"

"How so?"

"Aren't you talking to this kid online, what's his name?"

"Yeah, Scott. But he's too cute meaning one thing: catfish! I'm not about trying to talk dirty to a grown man. Isaac, I can actually see in person and touch." Allison fluffed her hair and sighed.

"Ew."

"Ew to the dress?"

"No. Ew to your twisted love life."

"Well, speaking of. I heard Aiden is really excited to see you tonight." She said in a completely suggestive tone. Lydia rolled her eyes. Their 'relationship' was completely physical and dull. He didn't like what she did and vice versa. It was quite irritating when people would keep accusing them of being together when the thought had never seemed like a real idea in Lydia's mind.

"Yeah, he can't wait to see my lower half, you mean?"

"Well, he's too dumb for you to entertain him otherwise." Allison applied mascara to her lashes before giving herself another once over in the mirror but this time admiring the reflection.

"Ready?"

"Ready."

* * *

_And the next second you could be singing to the latest Top 40 song..._

"Hey, I just met you!" They both danced.

"And this is crazy!"

"But here's my number."

"So call me maybe!"

The second verse came on and Allison stopped to catch her breath.

"I hate that song." She said.

"Yeah, but it's _so_ catchy!"

They sat in comfortable silence for a while and the song ended. Once it did, Allison spoke up, "I can't believe it's over."

"The song?"

"No. I mean high school. We can complain and say we hate it but it's something we're forced to do and we don't have to focus on anything but graduating. What are you supposed to do after?"

"College, of course. Didn't you get your acceptance letters?"

Please say yes.

"Actually, no. I didn't apply to any."

"Allison!"

"I know, that was dumb and reckless but I just couldn't submit any forms. I couldn't picture myself in college."

"Are you going to work?"

"I don't know, Lydia! I just don't know. Not all of us can have it as good as you do."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Lydia turned to look at her,a fierce glare focusing on Allison.

"I mean, not all of us are smart like you. Not all of us can get into any college in the world!"

"Listen, Allison. You are sma-"

"Lydia! The road!" Lydia turned to see an actual deer in headlights and made a sharp turn into nothing. There was bumps and a scream.

_But in the final seconds you could be dropping and trying to grasp onto life but all you can see is..._

Nothing but darkness.

**A|N - Sorry if that was a bit rushed. Allison isn't a very major character obviously and I just wanted to show the course of events that went on that day.**

**Hope you liked it anyway, there's more to come!**


	2. take me back to the start

**-one year later-**

Rain tapped against the car window in tune to Lydia Martin's own finger tapping.

There was no music playing. Just the sound of the engine to fill up the hollow silence between mother and daughter.

"Are you excited to be going to LA?" Her mother asked in attempt to make Lydia a little cheerful about going. She didn't look at her mom but instead kept tapping on the door.

"Ecstatic."

"Listen Lydia, this is going to be good for you. You're going to be out, you'll meet new people and maybe get a tan."

"Can't wait. Having skin cancer has always been a dream of mine." Lydia said in the same dull tone.

Her mother ignored her and continued to speak in hopes that some of it will spark her daughter's interest, "Melissa was really gracious in taking you in. The last time she saw you was when you were eight years old. And her son, Scott and his friend, Stiles. You all used to play together when you were little, if you remember..." Her mother trailed on as Lydia snaked one of her earphones into her right ear.

If she listened to another word, Lydia felt like her head would explode. Her mother made it seem like Lydia was going on a beautiful getaway or religious retreat. When really, her mom just wanted her away from Beacon Hills.

The town that seemed to have nothing but empty soulless people inhabiting it.

Nothing seemed to be worth Lydia's effort.

Nothing seemed interesting except the men in the bars she went to, who seemed to flock over to her like a moth to light.

But even then those daily distractions went away and she locked herself up in her room again; reality set in.

Lydia Martin wasn't the same.

* * *

They arrived in front of the McCall home that overlooked the beach. It wasn't extravagantly large but it did seem comfortable in a way that looked like slightly more money was put into it then needed.

The front door opened and out came a woman and presumedly her teen son.

"Melissa, it is so nice to see you! You look like you haven't aged a day!" said Mrs. Martin once she got out of the car. Watching her mother gush about her old friend made Lydia want to throw up and seriously consider hiding in the back seat until it was over.

She could hear footsteps approaching the car and braced herself to fake sleep and hope her mother wouldn't dare try to wake her. The footsteps made their way away from the passenger door and to the trunk.

She lifted her head just in time to see the boy rolling both her bags in the house. And also, see her mother point at the car which was followed by her actually coming to the car and grabbing Lydia's arm to pull her out of her seat.

"This is Melissa and that boy that just took your bags is Scott. You'll be staying with them for the summer and I don't want you to cause them any trouble. You're supposed to be getting better here." Her mother hissed.

Getting better, Lydia thought with a laugh, what a joke.

"Lydia?! You've grown so much." Lydia lifted her hand to politely shake Melissa's but was pulled into a bear hug instead. She gasped and almost dropped her cellphone from the impact.

"Um, yeah you too." said Lydia awkwardly as she reached to grab her phone off the floor. Melissa laughed wholeheartedly and shook her head.

"Well, I'm sure you'll have a good time here. Scott is probably with Stiles, who won't believe you've got breasts now." Melissa said the last part under her breath and Lydia was too busy trying to avoid more awkward hugging.

There were more people she supposedly played with?

She threw her mother the dirtiest look she could muster before walking into the house.

She hoped it might make her mother change her mind or at least feel guilty the whole ride back to Beacon Hills.

There wasn't a spiral staircase but a two flight carpeted one that led to a white balcony that overlooked the entry space. There were two walls with a hollow doorway; one led to the kitchen, the other to the dining room. There was more open space ahead filled with beige suede couches and a sliding door that led to a wooden balcony that had a great view to the sea.

It was nice in a way.

Though, Lydia would much rather be back in her room under her blankets.

"Scott! Give me back my keys, seriously!" Lydia could hear a boy's voice from the balcony near the ocean. There was loud thumping, like a heavy hammer hitting wood. Then the sliding doors slid or rather were flung open and in came two boys.

One was the guy who took her bags inside. Black hair, almost puppy like deep brown eyes and olive skin. Not to mention he looked like he'd worked out before.

Unlike his friend who was pale, tall and scrawny. His coffee colored hair looked like he had put little to no effort whatsoever into making it look decent. And unlike the other boy, continued to acknowledge her presence the moment he saw her.

He got up immediately and brushed off his shirt while he continued to analyze her but not in a way perverted, lusted kind of way. It was more like he was in _awe _of her.

And she didn't like it.

"Can I help you?" She said and it knocked him out of his trance. He shook his head slightly and formed a sort of crooked, goofy grin.

"Sorry. It's just it's been so long since I've seen you, Lyds." He scratched the back of his neck but she didn't seem to pay attention to his nervous habit. She could only replay that horrible nickname that was the only thing she actually could remember about this place.

Lyds.

"Lydia. That's what people call me now." She replied harshly. And just that sentence alone would've scared people off or at least make them too intimidated to talk to her. But none of that applied to this boy. He actually seemed to find what she said amusing.

What?

"Okay, _Lydia_," He said in a teasing tone that irritated her because of how carelessly he had said it. Like they'd known each other for years, "Scott and I are going to the beach, do you want to come?"

Lydia had two options in her new life.

She could stay in this house, hiding away from Melissa McCall who seemed like the type to like nights in watching John Hughes movies. She was sure she would be forced to take participate in this little activity against her will.

Then the second option was going out with these two baboons. She'd probably be included in conversations with Scott about their childhood she barely remembered and have a boy she didn't know stare at her and think her snarky and blunt were funny and _not_ obnoxious.

"Lydia! Oh! You three were talking! I feel like its been ages, it reminds me of when all three of you would play that monster game..." Melissa may have said something else after that but Lydia didn't pay attention, all her mind processed was one thing.

There was no way in hell she would stay here and talk about her childhood with Melissa.

Plan B it is.


	3. let's go to the beach, let's go get away

The ride to the beach seemed torturous.

Lydia had been put in the front (with Stiles) because Scott wanted to sit in the back with his girlfriend, Kira. The two were cuddling, giving eskimo kisses and whispering sweet nothings in each others ears.

It was like watching a Nicholas Sparks movie.

So, she did what she usually did.

She put in her earphones and shut them out except these people were quicker than she anticipated and turned their little conversation topic over to her.

"So, Lydia, what do you like to do for fun?" asked Kira and an idea popped into Lydia's mind.

"Married men." She said so innocently that the three of them thought they misheard. That should shut them up until we get there, Lydia thought.

Key word: thought.

"So, do you do that often?" Stiles asked curiously, his crooked grin making it's way onto his face. Lydia lifted her head from the door slightly from shock and surprise.

In her rearview mirror, she could see Kira and Scott's mouths hanging open with their eyes so wide, it could've popped out of their heads.

She mentally took a victory lap as a small hand came to the front and smacked Stiles' arm.

"She was obviously kidding, Stiles. Weren't you, Lydia?" said Kira and her voice sounded so hopeful that Lydia wasn't some sort of nymphomaniac. Lydia tried to cover up her smirk by pretending to bite her nails. These people were just too gullible.

"Obviously."

Lydia could see the beautiful blue ocean out the window as people walked around talking or running or riding their bikes.

Well, the scenery was certainly better than Beacon Hills.

"Anyway, what college are you going to?" Kira attempted at conversation with Lydia again.

The word itself made Lydia stiffen. If she hadn't been staring at her palms, she would've noticed the looks Stiles and Scott gave Kira. The moment the car stopped in the parking lot, Lydia jumped out of the car.

Don't think about it.

Don't think about it.

She kept repeating in her head, hoping it would distract her from the aching that was spreading in her chest.

* * *

The umbrella guarded Lydia's fair skin in the sunny and hot Los Angeles weather. She sat in her pale blue beach chair with her feet dug deep in the sand, earphones in her ears and a book about a family in a haunted hotel. The only thing that would've made her truly at peace would be if one certain boy was out swimming in the ocean with his friends instead of in a matching beach chair next to her.

And he kept making noise. He would sigh, fix his beach chair, fix the umbrella position or brush sand off his legs.

She didn't know why it annoyed her so much. If it were anyone else, she would've tuned them out (even at a time like this when her phone had died). But somehow he was making noise to deliberately distract her from what she was doing.

"Are you trying out for the most annoying contest?" She said glaring holes in his head as he casually turned to face her.

"What?" He asked as if nothing had happened. As if the sound of sand being scraped off his skin didn't make her own crawl.

"You keep scraping sand off your leg, you can practically fill your own beach. Shouldn't you be out swimming or something?"

"Why would I do that when I can sit here and have a stimulating conversation with you?"

"You're hilarious." She said sternly.

"You used to think I was funny."

"Funny looking." He laughed and for some reason Lydia didn't feel like shutting this conversation down. Probably because her phone was running out of battery from listening to music all day plus the vampire love story she'd been reading was getting dull.

Stiles was the only source of entertainment.

"You know back when we were old friends you weren't so mean."

"Old friends? Are we in our nineties, did we used to play shuffleboard?"

"No. That wasn't our thing."

"A thing?"

"Don't tell me you forgot the basis of our entire friendship?" He said appalled. He practically got out of his chair.

"Enlighten me." Lydia pushed the sunglasses up off her face and rested her head on her fist.

"We used to be real life, legit, incredibly clever detectives." She didn't know what she was expecting but detectives would have to be at the bottom of the list.

"Wait, what? Detectives, was I Sherlock?" Lydia said with a laugh.

"No! I was Sherlock, you're more like Watson"

"_I'm Watson, _you're-" Lydia felt water on her leg before any other words were spoken. She also realized that in the time she had been having playful banter with Stiles, she had moved out of her own beach chair and closer to him.

"Aw, you two are friends!" said Kira, who was dripping ocean water all over the place. It was like Stiles' presence stung her, she retracted to her chair instantly.

Scott appeared beside Stiles in confusion as to why his best friend looked crestfallen.

Lydia scoffed, "Yeah right."

* * *

The ride back to the McCall home was everything awkward. It began when Lydia refused to sit in the front which led to Scott and Kira not being able to sit next to each other. That led to more alone time between Stiles and Lydia when they dropped Kira off at her house.

"Lydia." He said quietly but she heard him anyway.

"Lydia." He called louder and she put her earphones in and pretended to sleep. She peaked through her semi closed eyelids and could see him rest his head against the steering wheel.

[*]

Scott and Lydia walked inside their house after Stiles' dropped them off while Melissa was still awake.

"Hey, mom." Scott said before disappearing up the stairs.

Melissa got off the couch to greet them. "Hey, Lydia. How was the beach?" She asked eagerly.

"Hot."

"Well, it wouldn't be much fun if it was cold. I actually needed to talk to you in private."

Lydia wasn't good with adult lectures. Her mother didn't make her nervous because she was practically immune to her mother's ignorance. But ever since she was younger, it made her anxious.

"What about?" said Lydia after they made their way to the kitchen.

"Now, I think your mother explained to you why you came here. Correct?" Melissa said in unexpectedly serious voice.

"Yes."

"Alright, she also told me that you drank in previous times for grieving. I know it might not be easy right now but I sincerely hope that you won't go down that path. You'll come to me if you need to talk, okay?"

"Okay."

"Good. Good night, Lydia." Melissa was on her way out of the kitchen until Lydia regained her courage to ask a question.

"Melissa, does anyone else know?"

She seemed surprised by the question and almost hesitant but her answer didn't reflect that.

"Nope. Not a clue."


	4. i don't need you, i'll be alright

"Lydia!"

"Lydia!" A guy's voice called. It seemed close and she wanted to know who it was but her limbs seemed unable to work in the silent darkness of her dreams.

Suddenly there was a flashing light and the voice changed to a girl's voice that haunted her.

"Lydia! The road!"

"Allison!" She screamed and awoke in her new room in a cold sweat. She closed her eyes and dropped her head into her hands. Steady heartbeats, she told herself. When she'd thought she calmed down she opened her eyes and put her hands in her lap. Only her heart raced again when she saw a person in the doorway.

"What the hell? Who are you?" Lydia shrieked.

"Derek." He said without attempting to be friendly or shaking her hand. The boy or better yet grown man standing in the doorway had a disinterested look on his chiseled face. He even had a scruffy smolder on his face. His tee shirt fit his large muscles nicely and if Lydia weren't so annoyed by how smughe was acting, she would probably flirt with him.

"Okay, _Derek, _why may I ask are you in my room?"

"I'm technically in the hallway. I was told to wake you up." He said casually.

She rolled her eyes. "Alright. Was scaring me part of your little mission?"

"Nope. Just one of the many of benefits of being me." He added with a smirk and she felt her eye twitch. And she thought Kira was annoying.

"Okay, asshole. You can go now."

Except someone interrupted his departure. Stiles rushed into the doorway where Derek was leaning his body.

"Derek, what the hell are you doing? I told you I'd wake her up."

"I was bored."

"Sorry, Lyds-Lydia." He quickly corrected himself before continuing, "Ms. McCall made breakfast downstairs." He said and then dragged Derek by his collar which resulted in him getting punched.

"I warned you!" Derek said and Lydia wondered how they even became friends.

* * *

The breakfast table was much more comical than Lydia had anticipated.

Scott was talking on the phone loudly while eating cereal. Melissa was staring at him so intensely that if looks could kill, Scott would be bones.

Then Stiles had continuously pulled bacon off of Derek's plate every time Derek went to pick his phone up from the floor which Stiles kept finding ways to knock over.

"What the hell happened to my bacon?" He said looking directly at Stiles once he realized there was no more bacon on his plate.

With his mouth full, he replied, "No idea."

"I swear Stiles, I'm going to murder you. Slowly."

"I think you should find a safe place to share these dark thoughts of yours." said Stiles, patting Derek's hand. Derek looked like he'd like nothing more than to take his plate of whatever Stiles didn't take and smash it over his head.

"Scott, will you hang up the phone? You can talk to Kira later." Melissa spoke up and practically shouted at Scott. He looked surprise by the volume of her voice as did Lydia.

"How do you know its Kira?" He blushed.

"Because you're whipped." Lydia said and was surprised that she involved herself in the conversation. She barely knew these people. She didn't want to know them. She wanted the summer to be over so she could go back to her life in Beacon Hills.

Or whatever people would call what she was doing there.

There was silence as everyone turned their head to her and she refused to believe that she actually regretted what she had said. Then there was laughter.

Stiles.

Derek.

Even Melissa.

Scott had a slight smile on his face.

"She's right." said Melissa.

"Damn Scott. Even new girl knows." said Derek.

"Good one." said Stiles, who let his glance linger on Lydia before smirking at Scott.

Scott didn't look annoyed though. He looked kind of impressed and shocked.

When he made eye contact with his mother, she seemed to be telling him something telepathically.

"Lydia, there's a party tonight to celebrate finishing our freshman year in university. Want to come?"

No.

A look from Melissa let Lydia know that that wasn't an option. Her mother already let the cat out of the bag and it would probably be Melissa's mission now to make sure Lydia goes to every social gathering in LA.

"Okay." She said.

Now, she got to spend more time with people that bothered her.

* * *

Lydia dressed in what she usually wore to bars: tight dress, high heels (obviously) and red lipstick to make her lips stand out. She noted that the men she'd slept with quite liked her lips when they were red.

When Scott called her to go downstairs, she sprayed perfume and then went on her way. Stiles' gaping mouth greeted her at the bottom of the staircase and she ignored the part of her brain that felt flattered.

"Were you making your dress?" said Derek who was tapping his foot and had his hand on his hip.

She made a face, "Bite me."

Scott came from the kitchen and led the rest of them to Stiles' car.

When they arrived at the party, Lydia realized that the only thing that was different between parties in Beacon Hills and parties were zip codes.

Same drunken people to greet you in front of the house slurring nonsense.

People listening to music that is probably destroying their ear drums.

And her personal favorite, guys who were so shallow and arrogant that Lydia took personal enjoyment in deflating their ego.

Once Lydia sat down by the beer, the captain of those shallow and arrogant idiots came over to her.

"Why is a pretty girl like you here alone?" He said, his voice warm and seductive. She stopped herself from rolling her eyes at the cheesiest line, she's ever heard. Pretty girl? Cue the dramatic swooning.

"What makes you think I'm alone?"

"Why else would you be near the drinks? Unless you were hired to get people more drunk than they already are. Because I wouldn't see a reason why not to come get a beer."

"Is this how you always get girls to sleep with you?"

He smirked and leaned in closer to her. To her surprise, she didn't smell alcohol in his breath, "Is it working?"

She bit her lip, "Maybe." She got up and began walking up the stairs, while the boy followed.

"You sure are eager, aren't you?" He said.

"Aren't you?"

"Don't you want to know my name?"

"I suppose." She turned on the stairs and practically fell onto the boy's lap because someone behind her fell forward while going down the stairs.

"It's-"

"Jackson?!" The person behind her said. She stood up to find Stiles fuming.

"Stilinski, do you mind? I'm sort of in the middle of something." Jackson said pushing past Stiles, with Lydia following him. Stiles grabbed her arm and she stopped.

"What are you doing?"

"Did you not take health in high school?"

"You know what I mean! And you don't want to go with Jackson."

"Why not? Is he going to give me drugs and pressure me to do bad things?"

He shook his head and ran his hand through his hair, as if it didn't look like a mess already. "Lydia, he's not a good guy."

"Well, maybe I like bad boys. And maybe, that girl you knew when we were eight doesn't exist anymore. So, get used to this one." She pulled her arm away from him and ignored the guilt that crept into her heart.


	5. do you remember the time

Morning afters weren't Lydia's thing. In Beacon Hills she had practically perfected the walk of shame. She could slip out of bed without rocking it and tiptoe out a room without a peep. However, this day her lover of the night did not sleep peacefully.

"You're leaving already?" He said, leaning on his pillow with astonishment written all over his face. Lydia laughed.

"Did you expect breakfast in bed or something?" She slipped her heels on before throwing her ginger hair in a top knot.

"No. It's just that–uh; most girls ask to stay longer."

"Sorry to disappoint you then." She slipped her feet into her black heels and threw her ginger hair into a top knot and left the bedroom and house right after.

It was only once she was outside did she realize she had no idea how to go back to the McCall house. the answer would've been simple: call Ms. McCall. Except, that would lead to more trouble than she needed.

She was too busy brooding to get Scott's or Stiles' number.

Crap, she thought as she looked around, hoping something would look familiar. The sight of the ocean made her think of the view she first saw when she arrived in LA.

How long could the beach possibly be? Eventually, she'd recognize the house.

* * *

She had obviously not seen how long a proper beach was.

Her calves felt sore and her whole body felt like it was being sunk down. The sun was still up which was a good thing but she still felt like she'd been walking for hours on the never ending path of sand and water.

Finally, she could make out a figure. And the closer she got, the happier she was to find civilization. Once she could see a face, her heart leaped.

It was Stiles.

Who had a car.

Who knew where Scott lived.

Who probably had money for food because she was starving and broke.

Who was now kissing a girl that had walked over to him and stopped Lydia in her tracks.

She felt awkward. And she never felt that way when it came to PDA yet somehow she felt like an intruder on something. With the uncomfortable feeling sitting in her stomach, she turned to find Scott staring at her.

"Where the hell were you?" He said in a tone that sounded more like a cop questioning a criminal than someone who was worried.

She rolled her eyes. Honestly she should be pissed at him for leaving her at a house she didn't know, "Having the time of my life, couldn't you tell?" Lydia gestured to her ensemble and Scott's eyes widened.

"The party! Why didn't you call me?!"

"Gee, Scott, if only I had thought of that."

"Why didn't you call me then?" He asked, sensing her sarcasm.

Honestly, this boy was thick.

"Because I don't have your number, moron!"

"Oh! Why didn't you ju—"

Stiles' shouting interrupted whatever Scott was saying, "Scott, there you are! I called you like half an hour ago."

He arrived next to Lydia with the girl he'd been kissing on his arm. She was pretty in a simple way. She had full, glowing cheeks and wavy light brown hair that was pulled into a side braid. Her sunkissed skin looked clear and fresh along her bodacious body.

"Sorry, I was with Kira."

"That explains it. Let's go back, Malia was going to buy ice cream." Said Stiles and Lydia noticed that not once had he acknowledged her presence. Not with a side glance or even a full on glance. No slight wave or anything.

It didn't bother her as much as it confused her. She had refused to become his friend because she refused to be anyone's friend.

But Stiles didn't come off that way from what she's seen of him in the present time.

And yet, no contact.

Even Malia, the girl she didn't know said things to her. Though most of the things Malia said were immediately answered with one word responses to shut the conversation down.

Not even as Scott made his way to his motorcycle with her, did he wave goodbye to Lydia.

This is what she wanted wasn't it? She contemplated in her mind as Scott sped down the open road.

It _was_ hypocritical of her to want to ignore people but not be ignored but seriously! Did she smell?

Instead of letting her mind think on it, she let her mind clear of it while the warm LA air breezed through her hair (if only her face as well but Scott insisted on the helmet).

When Lydia arrived home, she walked in the door to find Melissa McCall's lips pursed, arms crossed over her chest and an eyebrow raised.

A perfect 'what the hell have you've been doing out so late' face.

Judging by the lack of worry in her stance and expression, Scott must've told her where Lydia was. And most likely has been.

One look at his mother and Scott raced up the stairs while Lydia remained downstairs twiddling her thumbs and avoiding eye contact.

"Are you going to tell me where you were the last 24 hours?" She asked her voice not reaching the volume it did at breakfast yesterday but had an appropriate chill to never let Lydia's nerves waver.

"I thought Scott would've told you." Said Lydia quietly.

"I just want to hear the story you were going to tell me if Scott hadn't found you."

"I didn't know my way back from the party. You were the one who wanted me to be at parties and not bars."

Melissa scoffed, "Don't make this my fault. You could've called me. I could've come and got you. You could've called Scott."

"I only had your number and I imagined our car ride to have this exact same conversation."

"Lydia. Your mom is letting me take care of you and I won't be able to do that if you don't try to help yourself. I'm hoping that after this little incident that you've gotten at least Scott's number just in case."

"Yes." Her voice got softer with each response as she just wanted to go in her room and not be scolded any longer.

"Okay. You can go upstairs." Melissa sighed in defeat and ran her hand through her hair. A clearly 'stressed at Lydia' face which her mother mastered over the last year.

The moment she was upstairs and out of Melissa's hearing range, Scott came out of his room and stood in the doorway.

"Just got the talk?"

"I've got them before." Lydia chuckled. "Like for a straight month right after—" She stopped herself when she realized what she was going to say.

"Right after what?" He said curiously.

"Right after my mom turned into a psycho and thought it would be better to send me to some stranger's house."

Scott laughed softly, "You know we weren't always strangers, right?"

"Let me guess? We were all _best friends_?"

"Yes. We would play in the backyard and go on crazy adventures. Car chases, monster fighting, I was a werewolf once." And he said it with such excitement and nostalgia that Lydia was glad she had gotten to be a part of it.

"Sounds like you miss it."

"Sometimes. When we all have grown up things to do, I just want to be like 'let's go to the park!'"

Lydia did laugh and Scott hesitated, "You're a weird kid."

He ducked his head before stepping closer into his room, "Never said I was normal. G'night Lydia."

"G'night Scott." She said and for the first time here, her old _friends_ might not be so bad.


	6. some things are better left unsaid

Lydia woke up without her usual feeling of anxiety the morning after her talk with Scott. She hadn't remembered what it felt like to wake up without regretting the night before. It felt nice to wake up with openness to the day and not fear.

She jumped out of the bed to go downstairs where the smell of bacon filled her senses. A smile appeared on her face as she walked into the kitchen, hoping to satisfy her growling stomach with some of the bacon.

"Melissa, this smells-" She stopped talking at the sight of Stiles with his arms wrapped around Malia, flipping bacon.

"Lydia." Malia greeted with a smile and stepped out of his arms. For some reason she felt awkward. Not that she had some thing against PDA. Her sexuality had become more prominent over the past year, she should be the least shy of everyone in the room.

And yet, she couldn't shake the feeling that she was invading something. Stiles avoided her gaze or existence altogether to continue to watch and cook the bacon while Malia walked over to her.

"Did you want some breakfast? Scott just went to go get orange juice with Derek." said Malia kindly. She grabbed six white round plates from the cabinet and walked past Lydia to go to the dining room where she set the plates on the place mats.

"Where's Melissa?"

"Meli-Oh! Ms. McCall is at work." She said from the dining room. She came back for forks, knives and cups before disappearing into the dining room once more and leaving Stiles and Lydia together.

Alone.

Lydia didn't think of it as awkward at first. It honestly didn't feel uncomfortable even though Stiles looked stiff and refused to say anything to her. She just brushed it off as being distracted because he apparently had a girlfriend now.

A very pretty one too.

He dumped some bacon on the paper towel that was on a plate beside him before placing another batch of uncooked bacon in the heated pan. She walked over to the plate and picked up the crispiest piece of bacon and tossed in her mouth. It was only when she went to grab a second piece did she hear a strange noise.

"If you eat all of it, there won't be anymore for anyone else." He said in a voice just above a whisper. She looked at him with a confused expression.

"I only had one. There's plenty of more bacon for everyone else."

Did he have OCD with bacon or something? Lydia thought as he continued to look at the bacon and _not_ look at her. But then suddenly he did turn. He completely faced her and said, "Is that so?"

"Yes. What is your problem? If it bothers you so much, I'll just make the bacon myself." She walked away from Stiles who continue to glare at her. Lydia headed for the fridge where she assumed there was another pack of bacon.

His eyes followed her though, "I didn't say you had to," He appeared next to her as she opened one of the doors to the fridge, "I just _suggested_ that you shouldn't eat all of it."

"Well, I'll just make my own then I won't have to follow any of your suggestions." Lydia grabbed the pack of bacon once she saw it but it was taken out of her hands shortly afterwards.

"You don't have to make it. Just wait." said Stiles who reverted to his childish ways for a bit by holding the bacon above his head where she couldn't reach.

She scowled at him before jumping up to try to get it, "Well, I'm hungry now. So, could you stop being a jerk for two seconds and give it back!"

"Did you hear anything I said? Then again, I shouldn't be surprised, you were a little hard of hearing last time we spoke." He said moving the bacon around whenever she was close to getting it.

Last time?

"Are you talking about the party?"

He had the audacity to roll his eyes at her, "What else, Lydia?"

"Is this because of Jackson? You're seriously pissed about that?! I did nothing wrong!"

"Oh! I'm sorry, I forgot the infallible Lydia Martin is never at fault."

"You're such an assh-"

"Stiles!" Malia said from the doorway and just like that, the anger they had that blinded both of them evaporated and Stiles realized that he left the bacon on the flame without watching them. Therefore burning them to practically ash.

* * *

Pizza wasn't the ideal meal for breakfast but it sufficed.

Lydia glared at Stiles the whole time she ate her slice.

He could've just let me make the bacon. He could've simply let me have my own pack but NOOOO! She was chewing him out so much mentally, his ears were bleeding.

Did he turn into an idiot overnight or was he always like that?

"Lydia, are you okay?" Kira asked from beside her. Crap, she'd been caught. And not by the person she wouldn't mind being caught by.

"Peachy."

"Do you like the pizza?"

Lydia's eyes sparked with an idea, "Yes. It's just that I wouldn't have a topping. Like bacon or something. Wouldn't you say so, Stiles?"

He stopped talking to Scott and turned to look at her while she smiled sweetly at him.

"What did you say? I'm sorry, I'm a little hard of hearing today." He mirrored her smile once he saw her eye twitch.

"You don't need to apologize." She said through clenched teeth.

"Oh but I do. You see, you could've told me something important. Like if the pizza was poisoned or if the pizza is a complete jerk. It's important information like that, that makes me want to apologize."

"But what if the pizza was a one time thing. What if what I told you didn't apply to the pizza because you were never going to have that pizza again."

"I don't think you would tell me something if it didn't matter," Both their smiles were gone now. Their audience actually stopped their own conversations to focus on what they were talking about. Somehow, the both of them had stood up to argue about the 'pizza'.

"I think I might've misinterpreted."

"I don't think so. You might've had friends who have tried this pizza and liked it but then ended up having food poisoning."

"Pizza isn't that serious to me. I wouldn't bug you about it." She was raising her voice now.

"But what if it caused a serious problem in your life, I wouldn't want pizza to do that to you." He raised his just as high but his words had a bigger impact than the volume of his voice ever could.

Her anger didn't seem to be there anymore. Instead she was just confused. He cared that much to warn her? Didn't he knew that she did this (having one night stands) practically everyday in Beacon Hills?

Without an answer, he left the room and Malia followed him. Everyone else looked at her, wondering what just happened.


	7. let's kiss and make up

She'd never been to a bonfire.

Or at least one that didn't involve getting wasted within the first five minutes of getting there. Her types of bonfires only had alcohol and music which was really all that counted at the time. There were no tales of life and hardships or telling jokes.

No one really talked unless they wanted to hook up.

An LA bonfire seemed like it would follow the Hollywood trend. They even brought ingredients for s'mores. Reluctantly, she agreed to go with the lot of weirdos to the Malibu beach at night. Melissa had said that making good memories would help block out her worst ones.

It was complete bullshit, but she felt that she should probably try.

Stiles didn't talk to her for a week after the incident. She shouldn't care really. He wasn't even that nice to talk to. He was loud and too sarcastic. Not the kind of person she wanted to talk to anyway. But, Lydia knew that once she accepted Scott's invitation, she would have to face him.

Every small group gathering hadn't been a big deal between the two. If she didn't see the hurt in his eyes and feel the need to apologize, she would just say she was tired and go upstairs or out for a walk (Melissa gave her the address). Stiles would simply go, the following day, saying he felt sick.

No, she didn't feel good whenever he did that.

Yes, she did have enough pride that she couldn't apologize. Even though it felt like it was the right thing to do, she wanted to know why he was getting so upset with her.

She didn't kill anyone.

She didn't steal anything.

No laws or commandments were broken, it just didn't add up to her.

The group decided that everything must be put on the table when the only available seat was next to Stiles. The fire made it easy to see that he was uncomfortable with it. The moment she sat down, his back stiffened.

He then scooted to his left, away from Lydia, and towards Malia who didn't seem to be looking at him but at Scott. Scott immediately jumped up and said, "Well, damn. I forgot the marshmallows. Will you come help me, Malia?"

Lydia rolled her eyes as the two rushed off in the opposite direction of the parking lot. Subtly wasn't their strong suit.

She looked to Kira and Derek who seemed to be plotting something of their own. Lydia was almost tempted to just tell them to leave. Stiles didn't seem to notice though. He didn't seem to notice anything that was happening so after she sat down.

Maybe he's just trying to ignore her.

Kira rose from her spot on the sand, "I forgot my-"

"Just go." Lydia said and Kira seemed surprise. They must've thought they were doing a hell of a good job of 'forgetting' things so the two could be alone. Derek's lips twitched upwards before he grabbed Kira's arm and led her away from the fire.

After them running away couldn't be heard anymore, Lydia focused her attention on Stiles who's main focus was on the fire.

"So, it seems your friends aren't really prepared for their own bonfire, huh?" Dear God, she thought. She was cringing inwardly at how awkward she was at small talk.

Her voice seemed to wake him up from a trance of some sort because he raised his head to look at her, his eyes cold and blank. "You talking to me?"

"Who else would I be talking to?"

He took a look at his surroundings and groaned. "They're unbelievable."

"Tell me about it."

Stiles scoffed, "I mean they think that just one talk will fix everything."

Lydia's eyes widened. They had to have _more_ than one talk to get things to not be tense between them anymore. "There's no way you're that mad at me."

"Well, I am."

"Tell me why." That seemed to stop his brooding.

"What?" His voice cracked and she lifted a questioning brow. Oh, how the tables have turned.

"Tell me why you're so mad at me for sleeping with Jackson. Tell me why you're making me feel so guilty for something that wasn't a crime."

He sighed, "I already told you why I'm mad."

She rose from her seat and the volume of her voice rose as well, "Your reason makes no sense!"

He glared, "Fine, you want to hear it?"

"Yes!"

"I care, okay? I care if someone imbecile treats you like you're not worth their time."

That clarified nothing to her, "What? You care so much, for what?"

"I care because..." He stopped and seemed to just realize something, "you're my friend."

Friends? "I'm your friend?"

He seemed to find her confusion amusing because he cracked one of his crooked grins, "Yes. Whether you choose to be or not. Just remember that at one time you actually willingly and excitedly were my friend."

She didn't know how he did it. Somehow, whenever he tried making a joke or teasing her, she couldn't stay angry. Maybe it was one of the things he could do when they were younger. Another thing in her past she couldn't remember.

"I'm sure. I probably thought ninja turtles were cool too."

He seemed unfazed, "Ninja turtles are cool."

She sigh/laughed, "You're an idiot. And if I were up to it, I'd punch you right now."

"Why?"

"For making me almost apologize. I rarely do."

"You didn't really do it, when you were younger either."

She sat down and stared at the fire like Stiles had previously, "You know it's a bummer that we don't have actual s'mores stuff. I kind of wanted to make those."

Struck with an idea, Stiles got up and smiled at her. "Who says we can't?"

"Everyone who was just with us. They probably long gone by now and Scott was my ride back."

"They didn't take my car."

So, yes she was going on an escapade with Stiles.

No, she didn't regret agreeing to go get s'mores because she was hungry.

They bought everything including whiskey which all Lydia had to do was flirt with the cashier to get. When they made it back to Stiles' house, she was wobbling to get to his porch.

"I don't think you should've drank that before the s'mores." Stiles laughed when she twirled into his house after he unlocked the door.

"You shouldn't think so much. I saved some for you." She pushed the bottle towards him but he shook his head, before pushing it back. "Since I'm going to be around fire, I don't think I should be buzzed."

Lydia tilted her head to the side, looking at him as if he were the most interesting and intriguing thing she's ever seen, "Fine. Just don't burn my marshmallows."

The two went inside the kitchen, Lydia jumping on the counter between the fridge and the stove as Stiles emptied the bag of things they'd bought on the other side of the stove.

"Since you're all different and grown up now. I think we should play a game."

She set down her bottle, "Okay. What game?"

"Just a question game. I'm not playing trivia, just we get to ask each other anything we want."

Lydia considered this for a second. If this was real and she could really ask him anything, then she should be able to ask him why he really got mad about Jackson.

"Okay, am I still going to get s'mores after?"

He smiled.

* * *

**A|N - sorry if this chapter wasn't that interesting, I wanted Stydia fluff before serious stuff started to happen**


	8. bottom's up, bottom's up

"Your favorite movie is Star Wars?"

"Yes. It should be everyone's favorite!"

Lydia giggled, "It can't be that good."

"It is. Don't tell me you haven't wat-"

"I've never watched it."

His jaw dropped, "It's a classic!"

"No. The little mermaid is a classic."

"The little what? The disney movie? I never pegged you for the type."

The two of them had been playing twenty questions for the past hour. When Lydia's stomach started making sounds that sounded like monsters of the underworld, Stiles made her a s'more.

She practically swallowed her first three whole. Now, she was on her fifth and nibbling on it as her stomach was beginning to reach it's limit.

"What kind of girl did you peg me for then?"

"I don't know, you liked the same movies I did when we were young. I can't believe we never watched it together."

Lydia smirked, "Maybe we did. It just wasn't that good that I'd remember it ten years later."

Stiles eyes practically bulged out of his head, "You bite your tongue. One of these days, if you're lucky, I'll take out my exclusive fan copy and show it to you."

"Perhaps, if you're lucky, I'll let you watch the little mermaid while listening to a rare cover of the film's music by me."

"You sing?" He asked with a curious smile. Her singing was dreadful. Her mom had said so and her dad had just politely told her to quiet down when the little mermaid came on TV. Her parents never got the DVD in fear that they would go crazy.

"I don't sing. I perform."

He chuckled, "Deal?"

"Deal. By the way I'd like nothing more than to marry this s'more and have its little s'more children."

The last thing she remembers before everything became fuzzy was Stiles smiling at her and proceeding to grab the liquor bottle from her hands and chug most of it down.

* * *

She woke up on a really soft couch and something supported her head that was equally as soft. Rubbing her eyes, she found her pillow was a person and it was Stiles.

Her clothes were still on, morning afters in LA were really strange. She slowly separated her legs from his own and quickly realized that she had just been cuddling with him.

She didn't cuddle.

She's never cuddled with anyone but her stuffed animals when she was younger.

Lydia searched for her shoes, trying to ignore the thought that crept into her brain saying that cuddling with Stiles was somewhat enjoyable. It wasn't. It was a beautiful thing called alcohol that was making her think stupid things. The alcohol was the thing that made her cuddle with someone who had a girlfriend. She was pretty sure that wasn't a great icebreaker for friendship.

What? Since when did she care what they thought? Since when did she want to become friends with these people. Lydia slipped her heels on, repeatedly saying that she needed to go back to the McCall house and take a breather.

The floor creaked and she cringed. This was what the infamous walk of shame felt like.

While she was busy opening the door and wondering how everything got louder when you were trying to be quiet, she didn't see that Stiles had woken up, just in time to see her leave.

[*]

"Where were you?" said Scott who seemed to appear out of thin air.

She held a hand over her heart as she glared at him, "We need to put on a bell on you."

"You didn't answer my question."

"Well, you almost gave me a heart attack. So, I guess we're even." Lydia stepped forward to go get some water from the kitchen for her hangover but Scott's hand gripped onto her wrist.

"Did you make up with Stiles?"

She felt her palms get sweaty and she cursed her mind for going back to Stiles' couch. She cursed how much she liked laying on that couch with him.

"Sure." It sounded like a lie even though it wasn't. It was a special skill of hers, to be able to make everything that came out her mouth a lie or seem beneath her. And just like she predicted, it worked on Scott.

"Lydia, this isn't funny. He seemed really hurt for whatever it is that you did."

Hurt him? She just thought she made him angry. He did ignore her and seem to be revolted by her presence. Or was she just really bad at reading people? Instead of saying all of this aloud, Lydia decided to continue playing the emotionless character.

"Does it look like I'm laughing? Now, if you don't mind, I'd like to go get a drink."

Lydia waltzed her way to the kitchen, feeling guilty for the second time today. Doing the only thing that she felt was logical, she called the one person she knew could take her guilt away.

Jackson.

[*]

He rolled off of her, gasping for breath. Lydia smiled in ecstasy before jumping from the bed and grabbing one of his button down shirts that were laying on the floor. She put it on and buttoned some of it, just so her parts weren't out and about. She did have some decency.

"You're leaving already? You're starting to make me feel cheap."

"I'm beginning to think you're out of practice if you get tired after one hour." She smirked before leaving the room, hearing the bed creak before hearing footsteps behind her.

"I'm beginning to get worried that you're not." He said after pulling sweatpants on.

She pretended to think about it for a second once they were downstairs into the kitchen, "You could say that." She began opening his cabinets in search of her liquid courage, "Do you have anything here that Martha Stewart wouldn't have in her house."

"Meaning?"

"Alcohol, dummy."

He pointed to a closet in the left corner of the kitchen. "Sure. But it's noon. You sure you want to-" She opened the cooler, cutting him off and pulled out rum.

"I don't think anyone's called me a dummy since I was twelve."

She smiled before asking, "I think you should be called it more often. It suits you." Lydia continued to take swigs of rum until Jackson was becoming worried about how quickly she was finishing one bottle.

"You sure you don't want some water?"

Something blue caught her eye as she moved to the left. Out of glass sliding doors, a large rectangle pool gleamed against the sunlight.

"Sure. Go get me some." Her main focus was on the pool. Jackson turned away, walking towards the fridge on the opposite side from the doors. He heard massive giggling and turned to find Lydia running down his wooden stairs and onto his pool deck.

"Lydia!" He shouted but it only seemed to fuel her childish behavior. She was across from him when he made it to the pool.

"Come get me!" She said, still running with the rum in her hand. Chasing an intoxicated person who wobbled and giggled with every step was fairly easy. Except just when he was close to grabbing her, it was too late.

She was running dangerously close to the pool. A pool that had a diving board.

Her body fell horizontally after her head skimmed the edge of the diving board.

"Lydia!"


	9. and we're going in circles again & again

**longer chapter than expected. Hope you enjoy, dont know when I'll post another chapter since I'm starting school.**

* * *

Her head hurt like hell.

She could feel something sharp in her arms and something clamped onto her index finger. Her eyes opened and she instantly regretted it. The lights in whatever room she was in was _way_ too bright. Lydia closed her eyes again, hoping to get comfortable in the bed she was in again. But someone said loudly, "She's waking up!"

And she had a feeling it was Scott.

Slowly opening her eyes once more, she could see a person standing up, they had black hair and olive skin. Presumably, Scott. Her feeling was right. Except her _feeling_ didn't warn her that a lanky white boy would be in the chair next to her bed, snoring with his mouth wide open.

Stiles.

Well, fuck. Where was she? There were needles in her arm that connected to an IV and she was wearing an ugly white gown with small blue swirls scattered on it.

"How long have I been out?" She asked and was disgusted by how hoarse her voice sounded. She sounded like a teen boy who was going through puberty.

Malia stood up from a chair beside Stiles and looked at her seriously, "Three years."

Her heart stopped, "What?!"

"Malia, that's not funny." said Kira who had just stepped into the room.

"You've been out for a few hours." said Scott.

Lydia eyed the four of them, "Well? What happened? How did I end up here?"

"Apparently, you hit your head on a diving board at Jackson's house. You were kind of drunk too. Not a very good mix."

What an idiot. She was literally the dumbest person ever. Why would she even want to go in a pool if she doesn't know how to swim? Even though her drunk self probably thought she was a mermaid.

Stiles opened his eyes alarmed at everyone speaking and his face lit up, "You're okay." He said more as a statement than a question. His eyes were filled with worry and something else she couldn't put her finger on but it was making her stomach do weird things so she turned away from him.

The door opened and in came Melissa with a relieved face, "You're awake."

"Yeah." She replied lamely. The head injury was effecting her mouth apparently.

Melissa looked around at the rest of them, "Will you guys give us a minute?". Scott nodded and left holding Kira's hand. Her other hand waved back at Lydia before leaving, Malia was right at their tail. As far as she could see from the corner of her eye, Stiles was slowly making his way to the door, not looking her face but her heart monitor.

"So, how are you feeling?" Melissa's happy relieved face had melted away and was now replaced with a completely pissed mom face.

"Slightly hungover." Lydia joked but it didn't lighten the mood whatsoever. She just rolled her eyes back and crossed her arms. Lydia was really in for it now.

"Do you know how stupid that was? First of all, you didn't tell anyone where you were going and then you go and drink again-"

Lydia held up a hand to stop her, "What do you mean 'again'?"

She sighed, "Scott mentioned you'd been drinking last night with Stiles. Don't you remember what your mother said."

Motherfucker.

Lydia's eyes closed at the mention of it. Her hands clenched into fists and she tried to not think of herself in that category of fucked up people. "I'm not an alcoholic."

"Really? You sure? Your mother explicitly told me that you would hit up bars every night. To do what? Drink water? Tea? I don't think so and I think that you need to stop drowning your problems with it. You're lucky I didn't tell her about what happened." Her words felt like loud noise in her ears and she just wanted to get away from it.

With her eyes still closed, "Are you done? My head still hurts."

Although she couldn't see Melissa's face, she knew it was covered with disappointment, "Yes. I'll leave you to get some sleep."

* * *

Sleeping in the hospital didn't make her dreams sweeter. In fact it only brought her back to the last time she was in the hospital.

Being lifted and strapped securely before being taken away from the flipped car. Her ghost seemed to haunt her everywhere she looked. Her mind was a never ending torture. A voice that sounded like a colder version of her voice whispering the same thing.

"It's all your fault, Lydia. You killed me."

Her eyes shot open in time to see that the sun was rising. Light peaked into her hospital room but it didn't seem to calm her in any way. Carefully removing the taped needle from her arm and the clamp on her finger, she got up from her bed. Maybe if she fooled herself into thinking she was going on some rebellious adventure through the hospital, it would distract from the guilt she could feel building up.

The moment she opened her door however, she almost had a heart attack. Their was a body laying on top of the chairs and it seemed lifeless. The thought made her blood turn cold.

Until she heard an obnoxiously loud snore. Lydia looked closer and recognized the tall figure.

After rolling her eyes, she decided that she would wake the idiot up. Just because she felt like it, it wasn't because the dark hospital scared her or the fact that she was curious on why he had stayed the night.

She was merely being her bitchy inconsiderate self.

She shook him until his head shot up and he groaned.

"Stiles!" She hissed. His eyes seemed to roam until they finally landed on her. They opened in confusion.

"Lydia? What are you doing out of your bed?"

A sigh escaped her lips as she stepped a little away from him. His long legs swung over the chairs until he was sitting upright. "I could ask you the same question. But if you must know I couldn't sleep."

She hated how vulnerable she sounded admitting that.

The look on his face changed completely, he went from confused and slightly irritated to strangely sympathetic. But he didn't ask why she couldn't sleep which she was thankful for.

"So, why'd you wake me up?"

Because I was scared.

"Because I was hungry." She lied. Her nightmares had a way of stealing her appetite as well as her courage.

Stiles dug into his pocket, he pulled out his wallet and thankfully, it wasn't empty. "There's a vending machine in the lobby. I could go get you something."

What he said confused her. "You could go? Meaning alone? You're not going to just leave me up here by myself, are you?"

"There's staff downstairs." He said and looked around for added effect. "I don't think they'll be big fans of patients wandering the halls."

She didn't do it on purpose. It just happened, her eyebrows furrowed and her bottom lip puckered out. Her eyes were getting wider as she showed a genuine emotion for the first time to anyone and to Stiles.

She was afraid.

"Uh, we'll go, just put this over your gown." He shrugged off his jacket and she put it on, noticing it was quite long on her petite figure. The two went to the elevator after making sure that her gown wasn't visible under the jacket.

Once they reached the main lobby, Stiles peaked out to see if anyone was there. Only silence filled the dimly lit halls.

The two walked stealthily and were so close to the vending machine until Lydia heard voices.

She didn't know how many there were but she needed to think fast. "Put your arms around me."

"What?!" Stiles replied getting flustered. Lydia lifted the hood over her head to cover the bandages wrapped over her hair.

"Just do it." And he did. His hands landed awkwardly on her waist before she wrapped her arms around him and pulled his face toward hers.

She didn't kiss him. He did have a girlfriend that would probably mind, but it did look like they were. Lydia made sure that Stiles' back was facing them, hoping they couldn't see her bare feet beyond his towering person.

The talking ceased for a moment once they were close to Stiles and Lydia. It continued shortly after they passed them and turned a corner. Lydia pulled away while Stiles still seemed in shock.

"You can stop looking so surprised, they didn't catch us."

His eyes focused on her again with that same mysterious emotion he had that afternoon.

"Yeah. Lucky us." He breathed.

She sauntered towards the vending machine, considering her options and still feeling adrenaline from almost getting caught. "I think I want Oreos. What are you getting?"

"Just get me, uh, Reese's."

"Ew. Chocolate and peanut butter? Such a strange combination."

* * *

The pair made it back upstairs without a hitch. And they ate their junk food happily on Lydia's hospital bed.

"You can never go wrong with an Oreo." Lydia marveled at the cookie before tossing it into her mouth.

"Sure, if you put it in peanut butter." He relished in the disgusted wrinkling of her nose at the mention of it.

"Who are you? Lindsay Lohan from the Parent Trap?"

He gave her a blank look, "the parent who?"

"Honestly, you've got to watch some sort of Disney movie sometime." Lydia rolled her eyes. The two sat in a comfortable silence after that but something was bugging her. Something was peaking her curiosity.

"So, Stiles, where's the girlfriend?"

He lifted his head with amused confusion, "Since when did you care about my love life?"

Her eyes widened. She didn't know. There was nothing to remind Lydia of Malia. And yet she still wondered what kind of girl would leave her boyfriend alone to care for another girl. It just didn't add up.

Stiles smiled and put his hand on hers, taking her silence as her being choked up, "I was kidding." His smile vanished as quickly as it appeared, "Malia and I are um, on a break."

"Oh." She said, wondering why she felt sort of happy at the news.

"Is that why you left yesterday? Because of Malia?"

He was talking about the cuddling situation. It was then that she realized there was a familiar warmth on her hand and it was his. She quickly looked back at him, hoping to keep the warmth even just for that night and not think about shutting him out.

"No. I just have never been in a situation like that before. Usually my one night stands don't involve us not having sex at all and just spooning."

He looked at her with so much sympathy, it was almost like he knew why she pulls away from people. "Well, that was the first time I didn't have to kick a girl out of my house after spending the night."

And she would've believed him if it wasn't for his twitching lips that were trying to hold back his laughter.

"You pig! I almost believed you!"

"Why wouldn't you? I _am_ a player."

"Yeah. Of Monopoly maybe."

The two laughed and joked until exhaustion took over and they fell asleep. Before that though Lydia wondered back to her thought of Stiles' knowing what happened to her.

It would explain why he didn't completely hate her for being such a bitch. But she shook it off, her mind was thinking weird things already. Like how nice it was to see their hands intertwined before she fell asleep again.


End file.
